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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25972828">First Impressions</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/tricia_16/pseuds/tricia_16'>tricia_16</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Supernatural</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Anal Sex, Cocky Dean Winchester, FicFacers2020, Happy Ending, M/M, Oral Sex, Porn With Plot, Strangers to Lovers, Top Castiel/Bottom Dean Winchester, Unsafe Sex, implied happily ever after</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 10:21:36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>12,100</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25972828</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/tricia_16/pseuds/tricia_16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>World-famous chef Castiel Novak didn’t <i>intend</i> to spend the first night in his new town in bed with a beer-drinking, long-haired, southern-drawling country boy, but it doesn’t take long to discover Winchester Bros Brewery has exactly what he was looking for in more ways than one.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Castiel/Dean Winchester</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>150</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>941</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>FicFacer$ 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>First Impressions</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This story was a prompt from my friend Kim. It was a very different experience writing for somebody else's tastes instead of my own, but I <i>think</i> I managed to write the jist of what she wanted to read. Thanks, as always, to my amazing betas Brianna &amp; Eliza, and this time around, to Becky, too.</p><p>Enjoy :)</p><p>
  
</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Castiel didn’t expect to be, but he has to admit he’s impressed by the sight laid out in front of him.</p><p>Winchester Bros Brewery is spread out on a fairly large plot of land for such a small town. Before he even pulled in, he noticed there was ample signage and decent parking available, which is a plus right off the bat. Between the parking lot and the building itself is a white fence, reminding him of a charming old farmhouse. There’s even a couple of porch swings on either side of the door, both occupied with people drinking what he assumes from a distance is beer. He sees about a dozen picnic tables spread out to the left, some large and obviously made for bigger parties, and others small enough for two. They’re strategically placed under several large trees, likely to provide sufficient shade and some relief from the heat during the day, but in the twilight now, the trees have twinkling fairy lights strung up between them. Though he hasn’t caught sight of the kitchen yet, most people at the picnic tables have food in front of them, which seems promising.</p><p>He’s genuinely surprised to see the large play area for children off to the right. Playgrounds and children don’t typically come to mind when one thinks of a brewery, but even past eight o’clock on a Sunday night, there’s at least ten kids playing happily. There’s a play structure, a swing set, a couple of massively tall slides, and an old-fashioned merry-go-round that gets its power from children grabbing on and running in circles. He hasn’t seen one of these in years, and considering most of the kids are playing on it instead of anything else, he figures it’s not something most playgrounds have anymore. He notices the parents sitting at benches placed strategically around the perimeter of the playground (which is completely fenced in), a few more picnic tables with diaper bags or backpacks on top of them, and a covered space with the words STROLLER PARKING on the side. </p><p>It seems the Winchesters have thought of everything. </p><p>As he walks towards the heavy-looking doors leading inside the brewery, he notices the gay pride flag decal in the window next to a “breast feeding friendly” sticker and is pleasantly surprised. This is small town Texas, after all, so you never quite know what kind of people you’re going to run into. </p><p>The space inside is just as well laid out as the outside is. It’s wide and airy with gorgeous wooden floors and high ceilings. A little off to the right is what looks to be a gift shop filled with t-shirts, beer mugs, and magnets covered with the Winchester Bros logo. There’s a sign with an arrow pointing further right with <em> TOURS </em> on it (he supposes the tour ending at the gift shop isn’t an accident), but it’s easy to see that as soon as you walk inside, your attention is supposed to be pulled to the massive, gleaming, mahogany bar and the bar stools lined up in front of it.</p><p>There’s a chalkboard menu on the wall behind the bar with more beer listed on it than he expected on one side, and the other side has the food. He’s not surprised to see that it mostly consists of “pub food.” Nachos, tacos, cheese sticks, jalapeno poppers, deep fried pickles, potato skins, chicken wings. He barely suppresses the roll of his eyes. They couldn’t have been more predictable if they tried.</p><p>Still, it must be at least palatable if people are buying it, and they must be because he can smell a tinge of fried food in the air. He casts his eyes around aimlessly, taking in the sight of the dozen booths lining the walls and the wooden platform acting as a stage at the end of the room. There’s somebody up there playing now, a woman wearing a red cowboy hat and a tied up plaid shirt singing along to the guitar, and she’s actually pretty good. He likes that as much as the woman and the music is clearly meant to be the focal point, the volume isn’t so loud that it will make talking impossible. </p><p>Come to think of it, he likes the whole place. He likes the outside, the inside, the playground, the bar. He’s not totally sold on the menu, but some food is better than none. He never would have thought that a brewery could bridge the gap between family-friendly and a bar as well as Winchesters obviously does, and he’s genuinely impressed. Granted, he’s not much of a beer guy, so for all he knows, this could be the atmosphere of every brewery and he would have no idea. But he doesn’t think so.</p><p>What he does know is Winchesters is significantly nicer than he expected, and much, much better put together than their website led him to believe. He’s pleased.</p><p>“You lookin’ for someone?”</p><p>Castiel turns his head towards the sound of a low but pleasantly smooth voice. If he were in a cartoon, he imagines his tongue would unroll like a red carpet and bounce along the floor, because never — not once in his entire forty two years — has he seen anybody as stunningly gorgeous as the man sitting at the bar.</p><p>Not in a magazine, not on television, not on the internet.</p><p>Not <em> ever. </em></p><p>Even from across the room, he can see this man is ruggedly handsome. His hair is grown out enough that it peeks out and curls at the tips from underneath his backwards ball cap, he has a beard trimmed nice and short that only adds to his manly persona, and he’s wearing a plaid, long sleeved shirt unbuttoned with a Winchester Bros t-shirt underneath it. </p><p>Literally stupefied by this man’s broad shoulders and flawless face, it takes him a few seconds longer to respond than what is socially acceptable, and he’s already mortified before he even manages to get a word out of his mouth. <em> Of course </em> he would make an ass out of himself his first night here. In a weird way, it’s strangely reassuring to know relocating and starting a whole new life isn’t enough to change his socially awkward ways.</p><p>“No,” Castiel answers finally. “I think I’m going to sit at a booth and enjoy the music.”</p><p>“Not a bad choice. You should get a beer to go with the show though.”</p><p>Castiel’s mouth turns down at one side. He’s not overly thrilled by the prospect of a beer, but he is at a brewery, and he really should know what he’s getting himself into here. “What do you suggest?”</p><p>“Everything’s good here.” </p><p>There’s laughter dancing in his eyes for about three seconds before the man’s frankly luscious lips curve into a smile to join in, and it’s such a boyishly charming smile that Castiel finds himself stepping up to the seat next to him without having consciously decided to do so. Now standing closer, he can see the freckles dotted across the man’s cheeks and a pair of captivating deep green eyes that look kind and inviting, and maybe a little interested if the quick once over was intentional. </p><p>“I don’t really like beer all that much,” Castiel confesses. </p><p>The man huffs an amused-sounding laugh. “Hate to tell you this buddy, but I think you’ve come to the wrong place.”</p><p>“I was hoping you might know of something that could change my mind,” Castiel says. </p><p>“Alright,” the man agrees with a bob of his head. “I’m up for the challenge. Not like I’ve got anything else going on. Tell me...?”</p><p>He pauses with his eyebrows raised, so Castiel fills in the blank with his name. “Cas.”</p><p>“Tell me, Cas, what kinda beer <em> do </em> you like?”</p><p>“Not much,” Castiel says. “Bud Light Lime’s okay.”</p><p>The man blinks, stony faced, for five very long seconds. “I’m not gonna lie, that hurt, but I think we can move past it.” Castiel smiles at the man’s response and takes the bar stool next to him. “Since the atrocity you just mentioned is light and tangy, I’m thinkin’ we should probably start you off with a Pilsner.”</p><p>“I don’t even know what that is,” Castiel divulges. </p><p>“No offense, man, but I sorta figured.” Castiel rolls his eyes a little, and the man calls out to a blonde woman behind the bar. “Hey Jo, can we get a taster of the Americana over here when you’ve got a sec?”</p><p>“Comin’ right up!” </p><p>They both watch while she walks over to press the lip of a glass to a tap, tilting it a little until it’s full. She places it in front of Castiel with a smile, shoots the man next to him a single raised eyebrow that makes the man’s cheeks turn a little pink, and then goes back to whatever she was doing. </p><p>The man clears his throat and says, “This is a tailgating kinda beer. You’ll get a hint of hops on the front end, but it’s refreshing as hell. Give it a shot and let me know what you think.”</p><p>Castiel wraps his hand around the glass and brings it to his lips. The first sip is incredibly bitter, and it has him making a face of disgust before he can remember to try to tone it down to try to impress the other man. </p><p>Thankfully, the attractive man next to him laughs. “That’s just the top,” he explains. “It’s supposed to be bitter. First sip is to get used to it, second sip is to actually taste it. Try it again.” </p><p>“Why would I try more of something I didn’t like in the first place?” Castiel asks suspiciously. </p><p>“‘Cause the nice middle-aged man at the bar asked you to?” he suggests with another smile so charming Castiel wouldn’t be surprised if his underwear flew off of his body of their own accord. “Come on, it won’t be as bad the second time. I’m tellin’ ya.”</p><p>He <em> does </em> seem to know what he’s talking about, so although it’s with trepidation, he lifts the glass again to take another sip. He would be lying if he said he wasn’t surprised to find that the man is at least partially right. The bitterness that encouraged such a strong reaction the first time isn’t nearly as bad now. It’s more mild this time around, and fades much faster too, leaving a smooth taste behind. </p><p>“Well?” the man asks. </p><p>“You’re right,” Castiel admits. “It’s almost... floral?” he muses. Interested in pinning the flavor down now, he takes yet another sip, which is even less bitter than the last time. “Yes. Floral. Not in a bad way, but it certainly isn’t what I was expecting either. It’s not bad.”</p><p>“Well there’s a glowing review if I ever heard one,” the man laughs. “You should drink it down, though. Have a couple, get used to it. Then maybe we can introduce you to some IPAs.”</p><p>“Again, I don’t know what that is, but you certainly seem to know your stuff. A regular beer drinker, I’m guessing?” he wonders. </p><p>The man shrugs, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “You could say that.”</p><p>“You also seemed familiar with the bartender. Is this your go-to spot?”</p><p>“Careful, Cas. That almost sounds like a fancy version of the typical, ‘Do you come here often?’ pick up line.” </p><p>Castiel chuckles quietly, but since the other man is the one who brought it up, he decides to go for it. “I’m typically not that smooth with attractive men, so if it’s all the same to you, I suppose I’ll take it,” Castiel admits with a smile. It’s forward for him, so he hides his nerves by taking another drink of beer, telling himself at least this way he’ll know whether or not he has a chance in hell. </p><p>“Well if that’s the case, I’m Dean,” the man says, offering his hand to shake. Castiel’s smile widens as he takes it and gives it a firm shake. “Just so you know who you’re hitting on.” Dean finishes that comment off with a wink that’s so unbelievably sexy, it’s Castiel’s turn to blush like an idiot. “I do spend quite a bit of time here, though. Which is how I know you’re new.”</p><p>Castiel nods his head as he swallows another mouthful of his drink. “I just moved here. Thought I’d scope the place out.”</p><p>“And what do you think?” Dean asks. </p><p>“I’m impressed. The whole place has a homey feel to it. Obviously the owners want it to be about the beer but not <em> just </em>about the beer,” Castiel says. </p><p>“What makes you think that?” Dean wonders. </p><p>Castiel shrugs. “The playground, the gift shop, and the food, such as it is.” </p><p>“Hey, I’ll have you know they serve almost all of my favorite foods here,” Dean defends. </p><p>Castiel raises his eyebrows in surprise. “Do you not eat anything healthy?”</p><p>“Not if I can help it,” Dean jokes. “Besides, there’s vegetables in some of this stuff. Pickles totally count, and veggies come with tacos and nachos.”</p><p>“Oh, I apologize then,” Castiel says sarcastically, making it clear with the tone of his voice that those <em> really </em> shouldn’t count as vegetables. </p><p>“Damn, just when I thought we were hitting it off, too,” Dean sighs. Castiel chuckles before he takes another drink of his beer. “Guess it’s a good thing vegetables don’t typically come up when I’m trying to pick up hot guys at the bar.”</p><p>Dean <em> completely </em>taking the guesswork out of this has Castiel’s insides clenching with desire. He certainly wasn’t planning on spending the night with the first person he met in his new town, but he’s also not dumb enough to turn down the chance to see this ruggedly handsome man with fewer clothes on. Preferably with his legs wrapped around Castiel’s waist. </p><p>“Perhaps we’ll be compatible in other ways,” Castiel says suggestively. </p><p>Dean licks his lips and Castiel watches as Dean’s eyes drift slowly from Castiel’s eyes to his mouth, down over his shoulders and to where his thighs are spread on the stool he’s perched on. They flick back up to catch Castiel’s eyes again, and Dean says, “If I’m reading this all wrong I might actually cry.” </p><p>“You’re not,” Castiel assures him. </p><p>Dean leans in just enough to make the air feel thicker with the sexual attraction between them. “Wanna get out of here?”</p><p>Castiel’s insides clench with desire. “Yes.”</p><p><em> “Awesome,” </em> Dean says, getting to his feet enthusiastically enough that Castiel grins in response. Castiel stands and reaches for his wallet. “Don’t worry about it, they’ll put it on my tab,” Dean tells him. </p><p>“Oh. Thank you.”</p><p>“Mine or yours?” Dean asks. </p><p>“I have a new mattress to break in at home,” Castiel says. </p><p>“Bold of you to assume we’ll make it to a mattress with thighs like that,” Dean replies, smiling seductively. “I’ll follow you.”</p><p>Castiel nods and heads out the doors, walking gingerly when he notices his dick is already hanging heavier than usual between his legs. It might’ve been a couple of months, but his dick needs to calm down before he embarrasses himself. He gets behind the wheel of his car and waits for the sound of another car starting so he can see what Dean’s driving. The loud roar of an engine draws his attention to the side of the building where he sees Dean driving a beautiful, black, gleaming classic car his way. </p><p>Could this man be any more carelessly sexy? </p><p>He hopes to find out. </p><p>It’s only about ten minutes to his place, and Dean keeps a car length behind him the whole way. He’s equal parts nervous and eager by the time he gets out of his car, and he waits anxiously for Dean to park his car behind him. </p><p>“That’s one hell of a car,” Castiel comments as Dean steps out. </p><p>“She’s my Baby,” Dean says. “Play your cards right and I might take you for a spin sometime.”</p><p>“Wow, a beer and a ride?” Castiel repeats. </p><p>Dean’s smile spreads slowly, and he watches with interest when Dean grabs his hat and tosses it on the front seat before he closes the door. Dean ducks his head to ruffle his hair a little bit, and Castiel feels heat hit him like a brick wall when he notices for the first time as Dean approaches him that Dean’s <em> bow legged</em>. Then, as Dean lifts his head, he sees a few longer strands of hair falling into his green eyes, and hand to god, the man is so gorgeous he can hardly breathe while looking directly at him. </p><p>“Well, a beer and <em> another </em> ride, I guess,” Dean says with a smirk. </p><p>“Another ride?” Castiel asks stupidly. “When’s my first one?”</p><p>“About ten minutes from now if you ever get the front door open,” Dean responds. “Five if you wanna fuck me in the back of my car.” Castiel’s mouth runs completely dry, and by the looks of the shit-eating grin on Dean’s face, he knows exactly what he’s doing. “In the house, Cas.”</p><p>Castiel snaps back into it, feeling embarrassed but twice as eager as he was five minutes ago. “Sorry. You painted quite a mental picture there.” Dean laughs under his breath as Castiel leads the way to the front door. “I just moved in, so I hope you don’t mind the boxes everywhere.”</p><p>“Not exactly here for a tour,” Dean says easily. </p><p>“Right,” Castiel answers. He unlocks the door and pushes it open, then toes off his shoes. Dean does the same after closing the door behind him, and now Castiel is so nervous that his heart is pounding. “I’m a little nervous,” he admits.</p><p>Dean’s cocky attitude slips away for a second, and he gets a look at what he thinks is a more genuine version of the man in front of him. “You can still change your mind if you want. No harm, no foul, and no pressure, either.”</p><p>“No. I want this. I want you,” he says plainly, his voice dropping an octave without his permission. “I’m just a little nervous.”</p><p>“I get that,” Dean says. “If you’re sure you’re good, though, maybe getting things started will help you stop thinking so much?”</p><p>“Yes,” Castiel says immediately.</p><p>Dean steps right into his space, Castiel tilts his head up the tiniest little bit in offering, and Dean closes the remaining distance between them in a heartbeat. Castiel nearly moans from the very first touch of such plush, incredibly soft lips melding to his own, but then Dean angles his head a bit to the side until their mouths slot together perfectly, and he actually does moan when Dean sucks his bottom lip into his mouth. Dean’s tongue swipes along that lip and Castiel’s surges forward to meet it, the initial contact enough to send a tiny shockwave of pleasure through to his core. Dean’s tongue slips further into his mouth, confident and domineering, and as much as Castiel can appreciate Dean’s ability to take things into his own hands when Castiel was feeling unsure, the tiny hitch in Dean’s breathing when Castiel flicks the tip of his tongue gives him all the confidence he need to have him right back in the game.</p><p>He gets his hands on Dean’s surprisingly trim hips and takes control of the kiss, sweeping his tongue more boldly into Dean’s mouth and applying additional pressure to the seal of their lips. It’s scorchingly hot to literally feel a tall, broad man like Dean go from in-control to yielding so seamlessly to his every touch between one second and the next, and it’s that more than anything that has him using the grip he has on Dean’s hips to steer him towards the bedroom.</p><p>Dean’s kisses grow needier as soon as they start moving, their uncoordinated steps and the sexual chemistry heating up between them making the seal of their lips more messy but no less satisfying. His breath catches when Dean’s hands go for Castiel’s belt, and the sound and sensation of the buckle coming free has his cock swelling further to fill out the extra space afforded to him. </p><p>Dean pulls out of their kiss to mouth underneath his jaw as he pops the button on Castiel’s fly, and Dean’s low voice sends goosebumps along his skin when he speaks. “Let’s see what we have here,” he says a split second before his hand sneaks down Castiel’s pants. Thank god there’s a wall right here, because Castiel has to get a hand on it to stay upright when Dean’s nimble fingers wrap around him and stroke him to full hardness so fast his head spins. “Mmmm, yeah,” Dean hums happily. “Been way too long since I’ve been fucked from somebody packing like this. Let’s ditch these clothes, yeah?” Castiel has already lost the ability to form words, and Dean’s hand still traveling the length of him isn’t exactly helping, so all he can do is nod. “You’re sorta cute when you’re tongue tied,” Dean teases right before he pulls his hand free, grabs the hem of Castiel’s t-shirt, and pulls it up over his head. </p><p>“You’re frying my brain,” Castiel confesses.</p><p>“I can fucking relate,” Dean says, staring slack mouthed at Castiel’s chest and stomach. “Perk of not liking beer is no beer belly, I guess.” Before Castiel can comment on that, Dean groans quietly. “Jesus, look at this.” And then Dean is leaning in and sealing his mouth to his collarbone, moaning lowly as he travels along it with opened-mouth kisses. </p><p>Castiel’s eyes slam closed to better appreciate the sensation, but his mind remains focused on getting to see Dean’s body as well, so he pushes his flannel off of his shoulders and grabs the back of his shirt, hauling it up until it gets caught on Dean’s armpits and Dean has to take a step back to get it off completely. He could drool at the sight of Dean’s muscular arms, and he doesn’t hesitate at all before he gets his hands on them and curls his fingers around his biceps with a groan of pure appreciation. Dean moves in to seal their lips together again, and Castiel takes the initiative to spin them around and pin Dean to the wall. Dean’s hips cant forward, rubbing himself against Castiel’s hip until Castiel steps forward to fill the space between his legs. Dean makes a low sound of approval in his throat as they line up, groins pressed tightly and already grinding together. Dean’s hands are everywhere: palms splayed wide and possessive on his stomach, slipping around to trace the dip of his lower back and then climbing up his spine to clutch at his shoulders, all while he licks into his mouth and drives Castiel closer to the brink with the sinuous roll of his hips. </p><p>By the time Castiel remembers he should try to get Dean’s pants off, his breaths are ragged and his cock is achingly hard. He frees the button on Dean’s jeans and lowers the zipper, groaning when Dean’s cock, solid and warm, falls directly into his palm. He would have to be dead not to cup it in his hand and run his palm along the length, and he’s never appreciated being alive more than the moment he hears Dean curse under his breath. “Fuck, Cas.”</p><p>As much as he’d love to stand right here and hear Dean breathe his name like that until Dean spills hot and wet all over his fingers, he’d much rather hear it when he’s buried inside of him. So he withdraws his hand and hooks his thumbs into the waist of Dean’s pants, then pushes them down bit by bit until he’s crouched down with Dean’s cock bobbing in front of his face. He’s old enough to know better, he really is, but Dean’s got a hell of a cock — thick and cut and damp at the tip — and Castiel throws caution to the wind and leans in to drag the flat of his tongue along a prominent vein on the underside of Dean’s cock.</p><p>“Christ,” Dean sighs, and Castiel grins up at him when Dean’s fingers curl around the back of his neck to pull him in closer. “Lemme see that pretty mouth on me.”</p><p>Considering that’s exactly what Castiel wanted to do in the first place, he travels down the length of Dean’s cock and licks his way back up to where the ridge of his shaft meets the head. He rubs his thumb over that little spot, enjoying the way Dean’s cock throbs under his lips and Dean breathes heavily above him. Then he opens his mouth and lifts his eyes up to Dean, who doesn’t waste any time before he pushes the plump head between his lips. Castiel savors the moan that slips from Dean every bit as much as the sensation of his lips stretching at the corners and the weight of Dean settling onto his tongue. The tang of precum and the musky, manly scent of Dean’s manhood only makes him want more of it, more of Dean and the deliciously smooth cock in his mouth, so he grabs Dean by the hips again and presses him against the wall. </p><p>Dean inhales sharply, but the real reward is the fresh bead of precum pearling at the tip. Dean clearly had no problem taking control earlier, but he seems just as keen to be manhandled, and Castiel is more than happy to oblige. He leans in just enough to let the glistening tip of Dean’s cock gloss his lips, earning himself a choked off, “Son of a bitch,” from Dean that emboldens him to really pull out all the stops. With a new sense of determination, he tightens his hold on Dean’s hips and takes his cock back into his mouth, slowly but steadily swallowing down <em> at least </em> six inches before his gag reflex kicks in and he can’t take what’s left. “Fuck, that’s good,” Dean breathes. Castiel looks up again when surprisingly gentle hands push through his hair and tilt his head up, and once they lock eyes, Castiel <em> sucks. </em> Dean’s jaw drops at the same time his fingers tighten his hair, and then Castiel starts bobbing his head.</p><p>He keeps his tongue in the game the whole time, flicking the tip and pressing the whole of it up against Dean’s shaft as he slides him in and out of his mouth. Dean keeps making the most deliciously needy little noises, making him wonder what Dean will sound like when Castiel makes him come. Is Dean going to grunt like he’s lifting heavy weights, is he going to be one of those guys who tries to muffle the sound of pleasure on Castiel’s shoulder, or is he going to be Castiel’s personal favorite: a screamer?</p><p>“Cas, shit,” Dean pants. “Fuck. You are really freakin’ good at this, but it’s, uh, it’s kinda been a while and I am embarrassingly close to—”</p><p>Castiel pulls off with regret and a wet <em> pop. </em>“We can’t have that.” He can feel saliva and precum on his chin, which he wipes off with the back of his hand as he stands. “I want you to come when I’m fucking you.” </p><p>Dean <em> dives </em> on him. One second, Dean’s leaning his heaving shoulders against the wall, and the next, Castiel has two strong arms wrapped around his back and his lips caught in another fiery kiss as he’s ushered towards the bedroom. Dean moans after he licks into his mouth, making Castiel’s dick throb in his pants when he wonders if Dean tastes himself and <em> likes it, </em> and like Dean can tell how desperate he is to lose the single barrier left between them, his hands slide down the back of Castiel’s pants and onto his bare ass.</p><p>Dean makes a muffled noise of approval against his lips as he squeezes his ass, gently at first, and then so hard he brings Castiel up onto the balls of his feet. As much as he enjoys the groping, what he really needs is some friction on his cock, so he grabs Dean’s hand and drags it over his hip and between his legs until he gets his wish. </p><p>He can feel Dean’s lips curve against his into a smile, and he doesn’t even particularly care that Dean breaks the seal of their kiss as long as Dean keeps stroking his cock. “I do like a man who knows what he wants,” Dean says, sounding amused but still ridiculously sexy with that low, smooth drawl of his. </p><p>“Good, then grab the lube and condoms from my nightstand and get on my bed.”</p><p>Dean grins lavishly while he gives Castiel’s cock one final, toe-curling stroke, and then he turns on his heel and opens the drawer of Castiel’s night stand. Castiel takes the opportunity to drop his pants and boxers, and by the time Dean has come out with the bottle of lube, Castiel is already out of patience and steps forward to place his hands on Dean’s hips. </p><p>“Lean over the side of the bed for me?” Castiel asks. </p><p>Dean shoots him a quick look over his shoulder with his hair falling back into his eyes before he does just that. Castiel is reluctant to step away from the heat radiating from Dean’s body, but he also wants to get a good, long look at Dean draped ass-up on the side of his mattress. The view doesn’t disappoint. Dean has a nice tight ass with perfectly round cheeks that are dotted with freckles even here, and as Castiel reaches out to fit his hands to it, he makes a pleased sound at the perfect blend of soft skin and firm muscle. </p><p>Watching that ass take his cock is going to be an enjoyable experience indeed. </p><p>“You gonna look all day or actually do something?” Dean snarks. </p><p>Castiel’s eyes snap to Dean’s. “Patience.”</p><p>“Always been more of an instant gratification kinda guy.”</p><p>“What a shame,” Castiel says dryly. He doesn’t make any attempt to hurry things along. In fact, he lingers a little longer than he would have otherwise, even going so far as to pull Dean’s cheeks apart to get a good look at his hole and the light hair dusted around it. Because just that is enough to have Dean squirming with either embarrassment or arousal, Castiel presses the pad of his thumb directly to the furled bud and rubs gently. </p><p>Dean drops his head forward onto the mattress and rocks back like he’s trying to get Castiel to really touch him, and seeing the muscles in Dean’s back ripple as he moves robs Castiel of any lingering patience he thought he could hold onto. The lube is on the bed next to Dean, so he releases his perfectly round ass to reach for the bottle and squirt some onto his finger tips. He rubs his fingers together until the liquid warms, then without any preamble whatsoever, slides one finger deep inside of Dean. </p><p>Dean takes it like he guessed he would, like a man used to and comfortable with penetration, and when Castiel notices how easily his finger is moving in and out, he adds a second. Dean makes a sound low in his throat that sounds positive, and he imagines Dean’s enjoying the stretch the same way Castiel’s enjoying the slick heat encasing his fingers. He listens to Dean’s harsh breathing and the quiet sounds of pleasure he makes as Castiel scissors his fingers, helping him stretch more quickly so that he can be inside of him faster.</p><p>Thankfully, Dean seems to be on the same page, because Castiel hasn’t been at it as long as he was anticipating before Dean stops him. “Okay, I’m good. I’m good.”</p><p>Castiel pulls his fingers out to reach for a condom, but Dean surprises him by turning over, and then even more so when he gets his hands on Castiel’s thighs and kneels at his feet. Castiel’s stomach clenches with desire when he sees Dean on his knees in front of him, looking hungrily at Castiel’s cock where it’s standing proudly and flushed red. He licks his lips, flicks his eyes up to Castiel, and once again takes his breath away with the stark beauty of his facial features. Those plump lips, high cheekbones stained red, and green eyes glittering with mischief are like all of Castiel’s dirtiest fantasies all rolled into one man. </p><p>Dean’s hair once again falls into his eyes, and he shakes his head a little to dislodge it. Castiel moves without thinking and brushes the strands out of his eyes in a gesture that feels much more intimate than he was intending.</p><p>“The only reason I keep it long is so that there’s something to hang onto,” Dean says with a wink. The wink is distracting enough that Castiel is fuzzy-headed for a second too long to really understand what Dean meant, and then he’s leaning in and taking the head of Castiel’s cock between his lush lips. He has a single moment of clarity when the dots connect and he realizes what Dean was giving him permission to do, but as he gets his hands in Dean’s surprisingly soft hair, Dean swirls his tongue around the head of Castiel’s cock and Castiel can feel his eyes roll up into his head.</p><p>He curls his fingers in the long strands at the front of Dean’s head to keep him exactly where he is, watching eagerly as Dean takes the cue for what it is and begins lavishing his cockhead with wet, opened-mouth kisses and broad swipes of his tongue. It’s easy to see how much Dean’s enjoying himself, how Dean’s eyes are dark and his moans of pleasure are frequent as he uses his tongue to trace every ridge and every valley of the crown of Castiel’s cock. He runs his tongue along the seam then sucks Castiel’s shiny flesh back between his lips. </p><p>Castiel pulls him in a little closer, feeling the tight ring of Dean’s lips slide along his cock as he takes more of Castiel’s shaft into his mouth. Castiel sinks into the wonderful heat of Dean’s mouth, feeling the flat of Dean’s tongue pressing up beneath his cock, so he slides his cock out of Dean’s mouth and back in again just to let Dean feel the weight of it along his tongue. Castiel watches Dean’s eyelids flutter with pleasure as he feeds Dean more of his cock, using his grip in Dean’s hair to move him up and down the length of him. Dean’s hands on his thighs go lax as Castiel begins coaxing him into a rhythm, and in no time at all, Dean’s given control over completely. Castiel doesn’t want to come like this, but Dean’s mouth is hot and soft around him, his lips spit-slick and wanting, his face gorgeous with the rapture he finds doing this, and Castiel can’t hold onto a single thought long enough to decide if it’s the sensation of the visual that’s making this the best head he’s ever gotten.</p><p>The truth is, he’s turned on beyond belief by how beautifully at peace Dean looks with a dick in his mouth. He feels power and pride burning inside of him like embers each time Dean responds to the faintest touch. Flames lick at his skin when he learns how eager Dean is to please him, and it’s so heady, so potent in the air between them with Dean on his knees in front of him that he’s already biting his lower lip trying to stop from coming when he succumbs to a dark curiosity. Castiel pushes his luck and the boundaries of a one-night-stand just far enough to discover that Dean <em> can </em> in fact take his entire cock into his throat without even batting an eyelash. Realizing how many times Dean must have done this has him groaning deep in his chest as the kinky side of him gets off on thinking about just how fucking much this beer-drinking, backwards-hat-wearing, long-haired <em> country boy </em> loves sucking cock.</p><p>Pleasure hits him like lightning at the thought, and he stills his hips completely when he’s suddenly <em> dangerously </em> close to coming into Dean’s mouth. Dean whines and chases him for more, like he’s so hungry for Castiel’s cock that he can’t stand not having it, and Castiel’s cock <em> throbs </em> as he tightens his grip in Dean’s hair and pulls it to keep him in place. An excited gasp falls from that sinful mouth and Castiel has an insane urge to keep pulling his hair as he takes himself in hand, strips his cock mercilessly, and comes in thick, white ropes across Dean’s pretty face with those pretty pink lips. </p><p>Instead, he gives his hair one final little tug and says, “Get on the bed before that prep was for nothing.”</p><p>“Can’t have that.”</p><p>If he wasn’t ridiculously, stereo-typically turned on by how rough Dean’s voice sounds from having his cock shoved down his throat, he would appreciate Dean’s quick wit for throwing his own words back in his face. As it is, he fumbles through getting the condom rolled onto his cock with shaking fingers, knowing that one wrong move here will cause him to go off like a fucking teenager on prom night before he can seal the deal. </p><p>The condom dulls some of the sensation, enough that he can lube himself up without another bead of sweat dripping down his spine, but then he looks up to see Dean on his bed, flat on his back, legs spread open in invitation while idly stroking his cock as he watches him, and <em> fuck, </em>this isn’t going to last very long.</p><p>He climbs up between Dean’s legs anyway, but instead of going right for the end zone, he lowers his mouth to Dean’s and catches his lips in a searing kiss. Dean matches his intensity and brings his own, lips and teeth meeting and clashing in a battle for dominance before syncing up and starting all over again, unintentionally helping Castiel get out some of the mounting sexual frustration without his dick. </p><p>He lets the hand he’s not bracing himself with roam Dean’s muscular body, climbing the ladder of his ribs and brushing over his strong chest. Dean’s breath hitches as he brushes his nipple, and Castiel focuses his attention there, stimulating the sensitive flesh as Dean writhes against him. By the time he’s progressed to pinching Dean’s nipple between his fingers, Dean is panting his name raggedly into his mouth. Castiel isn’t entirely sure if Dean even knows he’s doing it, but the sound of his name falling from those lips repeatedly is the sweetest, filthiest thing he’s ever heard and he wishes desperately there was something other than them and the walls of his bedroom to hear them.</p><p>Dean’s fingers dart up and coil around Castiel’s wrist, dragging his hand down his body until it’s between his legs. Castiel hums happily against Dean’s lips as he gives his cock a leisurely stroke with a loose fist before he slips down to fondle his balls. They’re heavy and drawn tight to his body, and even knowing how sensitive they must be, Castiel rolls them in his palm and presses them up against him just to hear Dean whine. </p><p>Dean uses one hand on the back of Castiel’s neck and his heels on the backs of Castiel’s thighs to pull Castiel in, then he’s got a hand on his cock, guiding him between his legs, and they both look down when Dean directs Castiel’s fat cock directly to his goal. Castiel doesn’t make either one of them wait any longer. He grabs Dean under his knees, spreads him wide, and slides home.</p><p>The first few inches are burning hot and so fucking tight Castiel has to grit his teeth through the immediate onslaught of pleasure as he watches his cock slowly disappear into Dean’s ass. Afraid the visual will push him over the edge, he brings his gaze back up to Dean’s face. Dean’s looking at him now, red-faced, slack-jawed, and glassy-eyed, and Castiel feels lust pierce him like a sword. He snaps his hips and drives the rest of the way into Dean in a single powerful thrust, and he and Dean both curse breathlessly as he bottoms out. </p><p>He’s breathing hard already, far more worked up than he should be, but then Dean goes and releases this tiny little sigh, this... this... sound of relief and <em> excitement, </em> like he finally has what he’s been wanting for so goddamn long and Castiel feels his heart stop. Because if Dean enjoys getting fucked anywhere near as much as he enjoys sucking cock <em> and </em> keeps letting out little noises like the one he just made, Castiel is about to earn himself a <em> very </em> undesirable reputation in his new town. </p><p>With that thought in mind, he asks Dean, “How can I make this good for you in a short period of time?”</p><p>Dean grins, obviously knowing exactly what Castiel is struggling with. “Do I look that good with a dick up my ass?”</p><p>“Yes. And you feel even better,” Castiel says honestly.</p><p>“I’m flattered,” Dean says, cheeky as ever. Then he looks over his shoulder, grabs a pillow, and Castiel groans as Dean clenches down around him and lifts his hips. He has an ex who preferred the same position for prostate stimulation, so at least now he knows what he’s aiming for. “Let’s see what you can do, big boy.”</p><p>He circles his hips just to feel Dean hot and tight all around him, then he gives into the excruciating urge to push inside of Dean. He starts slow with small, half-aborted thrusts that feel good without a doubt but are more to get Dean used to the length and girth of him than anything. He continues moving in and out in a careful rhythm until Dean starts moving with him. Seconds later, Dean’s eagerly arching into his touch, wrapping himself around Castiel shamelessly, needily meeting each thrust with a roll of his tiny hips that seems to connect them more firmly, more completely with every one. </p><p>“Come on,” Dean urges him. “I ain’t gonna break.”</p><p>He supposes that is true. He made sure to get a good look at Dean’s athletic body earlier and he’s currently enjoying the feeling of Dean’s strong arms and muscular bowed legs locked around him. Taking Dean at his word, he pulls almost all the way out and drives back inside of him. Dean tosses his head back with a sound of rapture, and Castiel dives down to seal his mouth to Dean’s throat. He can feel the rumbling of Dean’s vocal chords against his lips when he thrusts again and again, starting to give into his own desires and pick up speed now, changing the angle just slightly with each thrust to search for the one that will make Dean fall apart beneath him. He allows his mouth to wander the expanse of Dean’s bared throat, down to his collarbone and back up the other side, stopping to lay claim to any spot that makes Dean’s breath hitch or his fingers to tighten where they’re locked onto his shoulders.</p><p>He knows the second he finds what he was looking for, almost <em> feeling </em> the relief pouring off of Dean when Castiel’s cock nudges his prostate. Dean makes a sound unlike anything he’s made so far tonight and undulates his hips in a filthy roll as he grinds himself down onto that one little spot with abandon. The noise Castiel makes is muffled by Dean’s skin, hot to the touch and covered in a thin sheen of sweat, and he pulls out just to reapply the constant, relentless pressure on Dean’s prostate Dean seems to be seeking.</p><p>He’s rewarded with a choked-off version of his name, and then a reverent-sounding, “Yeah, Cas,” and he does it again. He drives inside of Dean, pushes deep and stays there for a moment just for Dean to grind into again, devouring each little whimper that falls from Dean’s lips like a man starving. He fucks into him a little harder next time, nailing Dean’s prostate dead-on if the way Dean chokes on a moan is anything to go by. “Oh <em> fuck, </em> that’s good.”</p><p>Castiel fucks into him over and over, only half-hearing the sinful little noises Dean’s letting free as he chases his own pleasure, getting lost in the indescribable sensation of Dean so hot and tight around him. He spears into him again, keeping his hips pressed flush to Dean’s ass, stopping once more to grind nice and deep, ripping another breathless cry from Dean so satisfying in the process he answers with a moan of his own.</p><p>He moans a second time when Dean hitches his legs up around his waist, pulling Castiel impossibly closer and allowing him to sink in just a little bit deeper. He runs his hand along Dean’s muscular thigh to his hip where he curls his fingers around his soft flesh. He urges Dean to match the rhythm he’s settling into, pleased beyond measure when Dean joins him seamlessly, moving with him so flawlessly it’s like this is the hundredth time instead of the first. Additional desire swells low in his belly from the realization that he and Dean are naturally good together, are currently in the middle of having the kind of life-changing, life-affirming sex he was beginning to fear was left behind him in his twenties and thirties. They’re so in sync: the rolling of their hips, their bodies coming together again and again, Dean’s cock rutting between their stomachs and his rough hands exploring Castiel’s back, shoulders, and arms.</p><p>Castiel lifts his head to kiss Dean, sloppy and uncoordinated because of how distracted he is by the way their bodies are currently moving together but still satisfying on a deeper level. His hips keep a steady and relentless pace, his cock connecting with Dean’s prostate often enough that Dean seems unable to keep his breath or maintain their kiss for long but doesn’t stop him from participating eagerly and adeptly whenever he can. His bedroom smells like sex and sweat, and as the continued sound of skin slapping skin fills his ears, time loses all meaning. All he hears is the unmistakable sound of flesh meeting flesh, his bed frame creaking, and quiet sighs of pleasure spilling from them both, and the only other thing he’s aware of is that he’s getting closer and closer to what he already knows is going to be a massively impressive orgasm.</p><p>Driven by the need to experience that level of pleasure, something he hasn’t felt in so long he’s nearly delirious with the need for it, he shifts up to his knees a little bit to gain more leverage. He uses the new position to really slam into Dean, keeping his thrusts short but hard and so fucking deep that Dean mewls and claws at his back. Dean’s breaths are coming rapid and uneven, his fingernails biting into Castiel’s skin, and Dean’s whole body is strung tight like he’s ready to go off any second, and as much as he can feel his own orgasm building, feel the familiar pressure getting bigger and bigger inside of him, he’s determined to make this good for Dean before he loses himself in it completely.</p><p>“Touch yourself,” Castiel pants against Dean’s lips. “Let me see you.”</p><p>Dean readily obeys, snaking a hand between them to grip himself with trembling fingers but a sure grip. Castiel tears his eyes away, knowing the visual of Dean shooting between them will be his undoing, and focuses instead on the unbridled lust on Dean’s face. On the pinch between his eyebrows, on the stunning <em> o </em> shape of his kiss-swollen lips, on the way Dean’s eyes flicker between the sight of his own dick in his hand and back up to Castiel’s mouth, and he knows without a doubt that neither of them are going to last much longer.</p><p>He can feel Dean’s arm jostling them both as he jerks off furiously, and Castiel continues to pound into him, relentlessly chasing his orgasm now. He whimpers, feeling his arm starting to shake from where he’s holding himself up, so fucking close to coming that he can taste it, can feel every inch of his body pulled taut like an elastic band getting ready to snap.</p><p>Dean whispers, “Oh fuck. Oh fuck, <em> Cas.” </em> He already sounds wrecked, his voice cracked and broken from arousal, sending an additional thrill through Castiel a split second before Dean tenses and comes with a frantic moan. He foolishly looks down between them, watching as Dean spills over his hand, his fingers, and even onto Castiel’s stomach.</p><p>The hot fluid hitting his skin while Dean clenches down around him is his undoing, and it’s a pitiful half dozen thrusts with Dean panting a whispered, “Yeah, come on,” into his ear before he can’t fight it anymore and he <em> shatters. </em> He drops his forehead to Dean’s shoulder and grits his teeth as he shudders his way through the most intense orgasm in the last ten years, easily, moaning low and dirty as he pumps the condom full of cum until he’s spent.</p><p>He allows himself a full minute of recovery, using sixty precious seconds to try to catch his breath and make sense of his scrambled thoughts before he wraps his fingers around the condom at the base of his cock and pulls out. He pulls it off, ties, and tosses it in the general direction of the garbage can, and before he’s even rolled back over, Dean’s slotted himself up behind him. He gets a few chaste kisses pressed to the bend of his shoulder and an arm around his waist, but the absolute best sound in the world is the bone-deep sigh of satisfaction that comes from behind him.</p><p>“That was <em> awesome,” </em> Dean drawls.</p><p>“I haven’t had sex that good since my twenties,” Castiel admits, smiling with pride.</p><p>Dean hums his agreement against the shell of his ear. “You plannin’ on sticking around for awhile?”</p><p>“In town, you mean?” Castiel checks. Dean hums another <em> mmhmm, </em> and Castiel replies, “I’m hoping to. Signed a one-year lease anyway.”</p><p>“Maybe we do this again sometime,” Dean offers up, sounding guarded but optimistic.</p><p>“Yeah,” Castiel agrees easily. “You know where I live.”</p><p>“And you know where to find me,” Dean tells him.</p><p>“At the brewery?”</p><p>“Exactly,” Dean confirms. Dean snuggles in even closer, squeezes Castiel around the middle and lets out another quiet sound of contentment. But then he sighs and says, “Speaking of, I got a hell of a day lined up for tomorrow, so as much as I’d like to stay and talk you into a second round, I should probably head out.”</p><p>Castiel rolls over and looks up at him. “There would be very little convincing required, if that tips the scales in favor of you staying a little longer.”</p><p>Dean looks like he’s seriously considering the offer, but then he shakes his head regretfully. “I really would, but I can’t tonight. I’ll leave you my number, though.”</p><p>“I’ll take it,” Castiel says happily. </p><p>Dean smirks like he, too, is proud of himself, then rolls out of bed and starts collecting his things. Castiel watches as Dean steps into his boxers and jeans, then pulls his shirt over his head and pushes a hand through his hair to fix it. Even after already having sex with him, Castiel can’t deny that this man is <em> gorgeous, </em> and judging by the way Dean hits him with another wink, he knows it, too. It takes Dean a little while to find his second sock, but once he’s got them both on and is fully dressed once again, he pats his pockets and pulls out his phone.</p><p>“What’s your number?” Dean asks. Castiel rattles it off, he sees Dean’s fingers moving over his phone screen, and then he hears a <em> ding </em> coming from somewhere in the house alerting him that he just got a text. “I’m tied up all day tomorrow, but don’t be shy, alright? We’re too old for the three day wait bullshit.”</p><p>Castiel grins in response, feeling exactly the same way himself. “I won’t be,” he promises.</p><p>Dean nods, slips his phone back into his pocket, and says, “Well, I’m glad I bumped into you tonight. Welcome to town, thanks for fucking my brains out and all that fun stuff, and I hope it happens again soon.”</p><p>“I’ll text you,” Castiel promises.</p><p>Dean nods, seeming pleased with that. “See you around, Cas.” And then Castiel watches until Dean walks out of his bedroom and disappears down the hallway. He hears Dean scuffling around while he puts his boots on, the sound of the front door closing, and a few minutes later, the roar of Dean’s car starting before it fades into the distance.</p><p>He lies in bed feeling sleepy and sated, thinking that if his upcoming interview goes even half as well as his first night here did, he’ll be laughing by this time tomorrow.<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
In a strange way, Castiel feels less nervous pulling into the Winchester Bros Brewery at three o’clock today than he did last night. The stakes are infinitely higher since he’s here for an interview rather than to just scope the place out, but he knows what kind of place this is now — what kind of people frequent the bar, the vibe it gives off, what the employees were wearing when they were working last night — and it gives him a boost of confidence.</p><p>He’s dressed in a pair of black jeans, sturdy work boots not unlike the ones Dean was wearing last night, and a button-up, short-sleeve shirt he’s done up almost all the way to his neck. He attempted to tame his wild hair, but he’s sure it’s sticking up as usual by the time he strolls through the front doors of the brewery anyway. Because of the Zoom last week, he recognizes Sam Winchester lingering near the door thanks to his long, thick hair giving him away even from a distance. He’s only standing there a few seconds before Sam notices him as well, and he holds his hand out for a shake as Sam approaches him.</p><p>“Castiel,” Sam says with a charming smile. “Nice to meet you face-to-face, man.”</p><p>“Same,” Castiel replies. “You have a beautiful place here.”</p><p>“Thanks, we like it,” Sam says proudly. “I’ll give you a tour once we get the hard stuff out of the way,” he promises. “Are you ready to sit down and go over a few things?”</p><p>“Of course.” Sam smiles again, and Castiel follows him down the hall where the tours take place, then into an office with a moose carved into the door. Sam must see his gaze linger, because he explains, “Inside joke with me and my brother. He’s got a squirrel on his.”</p><p>“A family business,” Castiel smiles.</p><p>“Exactly,” Sam agrees. “So now that you’ve made it through the preliminary interview and caught a bit of a glimpse of our brewery, do you have any questions for me before we get started?”</p><p>“Nothing that’s come to mind so far.”</p><p>“Okay,” Sam says, nodding his head. “If anything comes up, feel free to stop me anytime. We’re not exactly formal around here. We want you to be as comfortable as possible, considering the circumstances.”</p><p>“Thank you.”</p><p>Sam smiles kindly before handing Castiel a laminated menu. “This is the menu for the bar. The food was all my brother’s idea, and it runs more to his tastes than mine. Now that we’ve earned ourselves a bit of a reputation for our beer, we want to put some money into expanding the menu. We want to keep the bar-food theme, but try to include some healthier options that might appeal to more people.”</p><p>“That seems smart,” Castiel says, eyeing the menu full of fried foods with barely concealed disdain. “What did you have in mind?”</p><p>“I’m not really sure,” Sam admits. “I think salads for the lunch crowd would go over okay, especially on weekends, but other than that, I’d really like to leave it in the hands of the person we hire.” Castiel feels excitement building in his chest. Having the chance to come up with his own menu is a dream come true, and something he never had control over even after working at the same big-name restaurant in New York as head chef for over fifteen years. “That’s where the second part of the interview comes in.”</p><p>“You want me to tell you what I’d add to the menu?” Castiel guesses.</p><p>“No. I want you to make me something we should add to it.”</p><p>Castiel’s smile grows. He isn’t great with people and typically doesn’t do well in interviews, but actually <em> cooking? </em> This he can do, and he can do it well. </p><p>“I’m ready when you are.”</p><p>Sam hops up with a smile still on his face and leads him to the kitchen, explaining that since they’re between mealtimes right now, he will have the kitchen to himself. It’s half the size of what he’s used to working in, but the surfaces are clean, the space is laid out well, and it offers the same welcoming vibe as the rest of the brewery. Sam points out where everything is, then tells him he’ll be right through the doors helping his brother at the bar if he needs anything. “You have one hour,” is the last thing Sam says before he disappears.</p><p>It’s a little odd to be cooking in a kitchen he isn’t familiar with, but without Sam watching him, he’s free to explore and fumble his way through it without a critical eye. He preheats the oven first, knowing it’s the baking part that’s going to make this a time crunch, and quickly starts searching the kitchen for what he needs. He finds the food he needs to make what he has in mind, finds the ingredients to season, and then the surprisingly nice pans needed to actually do the cooking.</p><p>Fifteen minutes later, he has his side dish of choice in the oven, and uses the cooking time to clean up after himself. He washes and dries the dishes that he used and puts them all back where he found them, and by the time everything is back how it was when he came in, the timer dings and Castiel removes the pan from the oven. He cuts through one to make sure it’s cooked to his liking, then blows on it until it’s cool enough for tasting. It’s sweet and salty and absolutely perfect, and whether Sam likes it or not, he knows he cooked this dish to the best of his ability.</p><p>He plates a handful of them with an additional dollop of glaze as a decorative touch, then takes a deep breath and walks out the swinging door to where Sam said he’d be.</p><p>Sam whirls towards him as soon as the door opens, and he approaches him with a smile. “How did it go?” Sam asks.</p><p>“Perfectly.”</p><p>“What did you make? Brussels sprouts?”</p><p>“Maple roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon.”</p><p>“Awesome,” Sam breathes, sounding excited by the prospect. “May I?”</p><p>“By all means.”</p><p>He passes the plate to Sam and watches while he pops an entire Brussels sprout into his mouth, closes his eyes, and actually <em> moans </em>with pleasure. He chews and swallows, giving Castiel a thumbs up the whole time. “These are unbelievable,” Sam says. “They taste like candy!”</p><p>“Thank you.”</p><p>“We gotta introduce you to my brother and let him try these. Come with me.”</p><p>Castiel follows him a few steps to where a tall man is serving a cluster of customers. Castiel rakes his eyes through the crowd looking for Dean, hearing but trying not to concentrate too much on what Sam is saying.</p><p>“I want to introduce you to—”</p><p>“Sorta busy here, Sasquatch.”</p><p>“Dean,” Sam sighs, sounding exasperated.</p><p>
  <em> Dean? </em>
</p><p>Castiel brings his eyes back to Sam and the man next to him, waiting with his breath held until the man turns his head to the side and Castiel gets a glimpse of the most gorgeous face he’s ever seen. Working behind the bar of the place he’s currently interviewing at. Talking to <em> his brother, </em> Sam. </p><p>Dean is Sam’s brother?</p><p>Dean is a <em> Winchester? </em></p><p>He had some of the best sex of his life with his potential boss <em> the night before </em> his interview?</p><p>He is so fucked. </p><p>“Not now,” Dean barks, and damn it if that low, smooth voice doesn’t confuse his mounting panic enough to make his dick twitch with interest.</p><p>“Try this,” Sam insists, shoving one of Castiel’s Brussels sprouts into Dean’s mouth.</p><p>Sam saying, <em> The food was all my brother’s idea, and it runs more to his tastes than mine, </em> suddenly syncs up with Dean’s obvious dislike of vegetables last night, and the clusterfuck of a situation he’s found himself in disappears for a moment while he watches with a twisted sense of curiosity as Dean’s forced to eat a Brussels sprout without even knowing what it is. He’s feeling decidedly smug when Dean chews and swallows with a look of surprise but also with clear interest on his face.</p><p>He can hear Dean ask, “What the hell was that? Bacon?”</p><p>“And Brussels sprouts,” Sam says, grinning. </p><p>“Sounds disgusting,” Dean says. “But tasted <em> delicious</em>. If he can make vegetables taste this good, I say hire the guy.”</p><p>Castiel’s torn between going back to hide in the kitchen so Dean doesn’t see him and speaking up right here and now to get this all out in the open. Now that he knows what the job will entail and has actually worked in the kitchen that would be his if he landed the job, he wants it more than he did before, and he knows the mature thing to do here is to own up to what happened last night and see if he still has a shot at the job after Sam knows, too.</p><p>“Dean?” he asks tentatively.</p><p>Dean follows the sound of his voice and looks over his shoulder where his eyes land on Castiel. He sees several things flicker through his eyes all at once: surprise, confusion, shock, maybe even fear.</p><p>“What’re you doin’ back here dressed like an accountant?” Dean wonders.</p><p>“Wait, you two know each other?” Sam asks, looking between them curiously. </p><p>Dean’s hand rubs the back of his neck, and Dean says, “Cas is the guy I told you about from last night.” Sam’s eyes widen comically as the reality of the situation seems to dawn on him and then his lips press into a firm, hard line. Castiel is braced for the worst, ready and waiting for Sam to tell him to get out of here right now, but before Sam can say another word, Dean looks at his brother and says, “Take over for a couple minutes. I’ll be right back.”</p><p>Dean doesn’t wait to hear Sam’s arguments, just walks towards Castiel with his bowlegs and stupidly attractive backwards ball cap, and says, “Come with me.” Dean leads the way through the kitchen and back towards where Sam’s office was, and Castiel follows in silence until they’re alone in the office with the door closed.</p><p>“I didn’t know who you were,” Castiel says before Dean can say anything. </p><p>Dean’s expression is closed-off when he turns to face him, and his voice is decidedly hard compared to what he heard last night when he starts speaking. “You mean you didn’t fuck the owner just to try to land a job here?”</p><p>Castiel can’t help it, he laughs bitterly. “Yeah, because I’m sure sleeping with one of the people I’ll be working with really <em> helped </em> my chances here.”</p><p>“I don’t know,” Dean muses, already sounding more like the man he spent the night with last night than the hard ass that started this conversation. “Sure as hell highlighted some of your attributes.”</p><p>Castiel frowns as he tries to make sense of that. “Is that a flirtation?”</p><p>Dean huffs a laugh, and now he’s really confused. “No, I mean it. I mean, I can personally attest to your attention for detail and multi-tasking skills.” Castiel feels heat rising to his face and knows he’s started blushing, but Dean just keeps going. “I know you’re a team player, a hard worker, and that when you want to, you can really apply yourself to the task at hand.”</p><p>Castiel is sure his face is an embarrassing shade of pink, and the amusement dripping off of Dean only makes him more confused than ever. “I can’t tell if you’re flirting with me or placating me before you tell me to go home and lose your number,” he admits.</p><p>“More of Column A than Column B,” Dean says, smiling reassuringly. “I’ve got some questions for you I’m guessing Sam didn’t ask.”</p><p>He’s still confused about what’s going on here, but Dean <em> is </em> one of the owners of Winchester Bros Brewery, so he’s willing to go along with it for the time being. “Okay.”</p><p>“What the hell did I eat?”</p><p>Castiel’s lips quirk before he can stop them. “Roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon and maple syrup.”</p><p>“Sounds disgusting, but tasted damn good,” Dean admits. “If all vegetables tasted that good, I’d probably eat them without bitching.” Castiel figures that’s meant to be a compliment, but he isn’t quite sure what to say back. “Why do you want to work here? And don’t tell me the buzzword shit you usually say in interviews,” Dean says before Cas can answer. “Why do you <em> really </em> want to work here?”</p><p>Castiel speaks without thinking. “Because as successful as I was at my old job, I was miserable working there.” That’s the first time he’s ever said that out loud, and it’s so freeing, it encourages him to keep going. “I’m tired of being surrounded with shallow people who are more interested in what magazine we might be featured in than preparing the food they’re paid to make. I’m tired of people taking photos of their food for <em> likes </em> rather than eating it while it’s hot, and I’m tired of customers asking to compliment the chef and then looking at me with dollar signs in their eyes while they try to ask me out,” Castiel says frankly. “I don’t want to have to spend two hundred dollars on a pair of slacks I’m going to ruin inside of a week for the rest of my life. I want to work somewhere more casual where everybody feels welcome. Whether they’re parents or a bus load of twenty-somethings, whether they’re gay or straight, and...” He hesitates for a few seconds, but ultimately continues, “whether they’ve lived here their whole lives or just moved into town.”</p><p>Dean nods his head slowly, looking like he’s taking Castiel at face value. “You can’t tell anybody you like Bud Light Lime if you’re gonna work here,” Dean deadpans. </p><p>Cas’s mouth turns up at the corners. “I prefer Pilsners now anyway.”</p><p>Dean’s body language relaxes even further, and the knot of nerves in Castiel’s stomach loosens with it. “One more question,” Dean states. He takes several steps closer to Castiel, erasing all but a meager foot of space between them, and just like that, his heart starts racing from the attractive man’s proximity. “How do you feel about sleeping with the boss?”</p><p>Castiel can’t stop himself from sweeping his eyes up and down Dean’s enticing frame. “Would that be against the rules?”</p><p>“Not if you don’t want it to be,” Dean says. “Though I should probably say you’re not under any obligation to <em> keep </em> sleeping with me if you get the job.”</p><p>Considering Dean’s green eyes are dancing with amusement, Castiel decides to press his luck. “Would I be offered preferential treatment?”</p><p>“Probably not,” Dean says with a grin. “Most interaction I have with the people in the kitchen is when I beg a meal off of them.”</p><p>“What if somebody in the kitchen offered to <em> buy </em> you a meal instead?” Castiel asks, his heart in his throat. Asking out the man that will be his boss if he gets the job he’s technically still interviewing for is arguably the stupidest thing he’s ever done, but when Dean flashes a sexy grin in his direction, he already knows it was well worth it.</p><p>“Depends,” Dean answers smoothly. “Are you gonna take me to some hippy restaurant where they only serve tofu and vegetables?”</p><p>“I might,” Castiel teases.</p><p>“Don’t tell anybody,” Dean says before he leans in even closer. He speaks directly into Castiel’s ear when he finishes, “But I might still say yes.” Dean’s proximity is <em> intoxicating, </em> and just as he’s wondering if Dean feels the insane pull between them the same way he does, there’s a knock on the door.</p><p>Sam pushes the door open and pops his head inside. “Everything okay?” Sam asks, once again looking between them.</p><p>“Was just goin’ through the standard legal jargon tellin’ Cas here that he’s contractually obligated to get me off once a week if he really wants the job here.”</p><p>Sam seems to choke on his own spit as he stands in front of them. He clears his throat and stutters over his words as he starts to speak. “Dean, that’s—<em>god,” </em>he curses, clearly stuck somewhere between exasperation and impatience with his brother. “Please tell me you didn’t actually say that.” He looks at Castiel with panic visible in his eyes. “He’s joking, Castiel. My brother has an incredibly immature sense of humor, and even if you might not have been offended, please, please know that you are in no way—”</p><p>Castiel cuts him off before he can work himself up any further. “Where can I sign, Sam?”</p><p>Sam stops mid-sentence, gaping at him. “You still want to work here? With him?” Sam asks, looking at Dean.</p><p>“If you still want to hire me knowing that your brother and I—”</p><p>“Will be having hot, kinky sex at every available opportunity,” Dean finishes for him.</p><p>Sam grimaces briefly before turning his attention back to Castiel, and Castiel feels the need to clarify. “Just not when I’m working.”</p><p>“We’ll see about that,” Dean says under his breath.</p><p>“Okay, that’s enough,” Sam says to Dean. “I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but you’re the most qualified person we interviewed, you made the best food, and you were my top pick before you even showed up here today.”</p><p>“Funny, he was my top, too,” Dean quips.</p><p>Sam ignores him, so Castiel follows suit. “If you want the job and can keep things professional between you and Dean during work hours <em> and </em> afterwards if this thing between you peters out, then you’re hired.” </p><p>Castiel smiles nice and big, hardly believing his luck. “I would love to work here.”</p><p>“Why don’t we go talk numbers then?” Sam prompts him.</p><p>“Yes. I’d like that, thank you.” Sam starts out, so Castiel follows behind him, but turns to Dean and whispers, “I’ll text you later,” before he leaves.</p><p>A half hour later, Castiel has finished shaking hands with Sam after accepting the job offer and is strolling out of the brewery and onto the front porch. Even on a Monday afternoon, there are people on the porch swings drinking beer, children playing on the merry-go-round, and groups of people sitting at the picnic tables. </p><p>He does a double take when he realizes that one of those people is Dean, sitting alone at one of the picnic tables with two glasses of beer in front of him. Dean sees Castiel looking and waves him over. Castiel untucks his shirt as he walks over and flips some buttons loose at his neck, then steps up to the table next to Dean and looks down at him curiously. Even with the backwards hat on, Dean’s hair is long enough that it parts in the middle and sticks to his forehead, creating a boyish look that Castiel is insanely attracted to. </p><p>“Heard you just landed a new job,” Dean says, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “Celebratory beer?” </p><p>Castiel didn’t expect to be, but as something warm takes root inside his chest while he sits across from Dean, he has to admit he’s impressed by the sight laid out in front of him.</p>
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